List of mayors of Los Angeles

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The mayor of Los Angeles is the chief executive of the Government of Los Angeles as set in the city charter. The current officeholder, the 43rd in the sequence of regular mayors, is Karen Bass, a member of the Democratic Party.

Then-Mayor Eric Garcetti (center) with his predecessors Antonio Villaraigosa (right) and James Hahn (left) in 2013.

When Los Angeles was founded as a small town, a comisionado (Military Commissioner) was appointed before the title was changed to alcalde (Mayor) in 1786. Between 1841 and 1844, there were two mayors called the Jueces de Paz (Justices of Peace). When the United States took control, the office was renamed to Mayor.[1]

The longest serving mayors have been Tom Bradley (1973–1993; 20 years), Fletcher Bowron (1938–1953; 14 years), Sam Yorty (1961–1973; 12 years), and Eric Garcetti (2013–2022; 9 years).[2] The shortest tenures, not counting Acting Mayors, were John Bryson (77 days), Bernard Cohn (14 days), and William Stephens (11 days).

Although the President of the Los Angeles City Council serves as acting mayor when the Mayor is out of the city, only five have served due to a vacancy: Manuel Requena (1855 and 1856), Wallace Woodworth (1860–1861), Bernard Cohn (1878), Niles Pease (1909), and Martin F. Betkouski (1916); only one, Cohn, ascended from Acting Mayor to Mayor.[3] Two Mayors have died during their terms: Henry Mellus and Frederick A. MacDougall.

Los Angeles has had five Latino mayors post-incorporation: Antonio F. Coronel, Manuel Requena, Cristobal Aguilar, Antonio Villaraigosa, and Eric Garcetti.[4] The city has also had two African-American mayors, Tom Bradley and Karen Bass. Two French-Canadian politicians, Damien Marchesseault and Prudent Beaudry, have served as Mayors.[5] The first woman to serve as Mayor is Karen Bass, who was elected in 2022.[6]

Spanish era (1781–1821)

The office of Alcalde, the Mayor of El Pueblo de la Reina de los Ángeles, was elected annually, without the right to reelection for two years.[7] With the incomplete nature of records from the Spanish colonial period of Los Angeles, only the first year of 1781 is certain.[8][9]

Comisionado
More information Name, Term in office ...
Name Term in office
José Vicente Féliz[A] 1781–1786
Guillermo Soto[B] 1812–1816
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Alcalde
More information Name, Term in office ...
Name Term in office
José Vanegas 1786–1788
José Sinova 1789–1790
Francisco Reyes 1790[C]
Mariano Verdugo 1790–1793
José Vanegas 1792–1793
Francisco Reyes 1793–1795
José Vanegas 1796–1797
Manuel Arellanes 1797–1798
Guillermo Soto 1798–1799
Francisco Serrano 1799–1800
Joaquin Higuera 1800–1802
Mariano Verdugo 1802–1809
Francisco Avila 1810–1811
Manuel Gutierrez 1811–1812
Antonio Maria Lugo 1816–1819
Anastasio Avila 1819–1821
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Notes
  1. [A]
    Féliz acted as the Chief Public Official during his term as Comisionado.
  2. [B]
    Soto assumed the responsibilities of alcalde during his term as Comisionado.
  3. [C]
    Removed from office for gambling in July.

Mexican era (1821–1848)

Abel Stearns, the inaugural mayor of Los Angeles from 1821 to 1822.

In 1821, Los Angeles came under Mexican rule, and the city continued having an alcalde.[10] The inaugural holder was Abel Stearns, an American trader who came to California in 1829 from Massachusetts.[11][12]

More information Name, Term in office ...
Name Term in office
Abel Stearns 1821–1822
Manuel Gutierrez 1822–1824
Guillermo Cota 1824
Encarnacion Urquides 1824–1825
José Maria Avila 1825–1826
José Antonio Carrillo 1826
Claudio López 1826–1827
Guillermo Cota 1827–1828
José Antonio Carrillo 1828–1829
Guillermo Soto 1829–1830
Tiburcio Tapia 1830–1831
Manuel Dominguez 1832–1833
José Antonio Carrillo 1833–1834
José Perez 1834–1835
Francisco Javier Alvarado 1835–1836
Manuel Requena 1836–1837
José Sepúlveda 1837–1838
Luis Arenas 1838–1839
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First & Second Alcalde

In 1839, instead of one alcalde, two officials served as First and Second Alcalde.

More information 1st Alcalde, 2nd Alcalde ...
1st Alcalde 2nd Alcalde Term in office
Tiburcio Tapia José Sepúlveda 1839–1840
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Jueces de Paz (Justices of Peace)

In 1841, the office of alcalde was abolished, instead being replaced by two Jueces de Paz (Justice of the peace).[13]

More information 1st Juez de Paz, 2nd Juez de Paz ...
1st Juez de Paz 2nd Juez de Paz Term in office
Ygnacio Palomares Ygnacio Alvarado 1841–1842
Manuel Dominguez José Sepúlveda 1842–1843
Antonio F. Coronel 1843–1844
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First & Second Alcalde

In 1844, the office of alcalde was restored, reverting to its 1839 posts.[13]

More information 1st Alcalde, 2nd Alcalde ...
1st Alcalde 2nd Alcalde Term in office
Manuel Requena Tiburcio Tapia 1844–1845
Vicente Sanchez Juan Sepúlveda 1845–1846
Juan Gallardo José Sepúlveda 1846–1847
José Salazar Enrique Avila 1847–1848
Ygnacio Palomares José Sepúlveda 1848
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American Territorial era (1848–1850)

Between the Interim government of California and California's statehood, the Mayor was appointed by the Governor of California in 1848 and was elected in 1850.

More information Name, Portrait ...
Name Portrait Term in office
Stephen C. Foster January 1, 1848
–
May 21, 1849[i]
Position empty May 21 1849

-

January 1 1850

Ygnacio del Valle January 1, 1850
–
July 1, 1850
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Notes
  1. [i]
    Foster resigned as alcalde on May 21, 1849; the remainder of the year, he served as prefecto (prefect).[14]

Post-incorporation (1850–present)

More information No., Mayor ...
No.[a] Mayor Took office Left office Tenure Party[b] Election
1 Alpheus P. Hodges
(1821–1858)		 July 1, 1850 May 7, 1851 310 days Democratic 1850
2 Benjamin Davis Wilson
(1811–1878)		 May 7, 1851 May 4, 1852 363 days Democratic 1851
3 John G. Nichols
(1812–1898)
1st time		 May 4, 1852 May 3, 1853 364 days Democratic 1852
4 Antonio F. Coronel
(1817–1894)		 May 3, 1853 May 4, 1854 1 year, 1 day Democratic 1853
5 Stephen Clark Foster
(1820–1898)
1st time		 May 4, 1854 January 13, 1855[c] 254 days Democratic 1854
– Manuel Requena
(1802–1876)
Acting		 January 13, 1855 January 25, 1855 12 days Republican City Council
President
acting as
mayor
(5) Stephen Clark Foster
(1820–1898)
2nd time		 January 25, 1855 May 9, 1855 104 days Democratic Jan. 1855
6 Thomas Foster
(TBA–TBA)		 May 9, 1855 May 7, 1856 364 days Democratic May 1855
(5) Stephen Clark Foster
(1820–1898)
3rd time		 May 7, 1856 September 22, 1856[d] 138 days Democratic May 1856
– Manuel Requena
(1802–1876)
Acting		 September 22, 1856 October 4, 1856 12 days Republican City Council
President
acting as
mayor
(3) John G. Nichols
(1812–1898)
2nd time		 October 4, 1856 May 9, 1859 2 years, 217 days Democratic Oct. 1856
1857
1858
7 Damien Marchesseault
(1818–1868)
1st time		 May 9, 1859 May 9, 1860 1 year, 0 days Democratic 1859
8 Henry Mellus
(1816–1860)		 May 9, 1860 December 26, 1860[e] 231 days Democratic 1860
– Wallace Woodworth
(1832–1882)
Acting		 December 26, 1860[f] January 7, 1861 12 days Democratic City Council
President
acting as
mayor
(7) Damien Marchesseault
(1818–1868)
2nd time		 January 7, 1861 May 5, 1865 4 years, 118 days Democratic 1861
1862
1863
1864
9 José Mascarel
(1816–1899)		 May 5, 1865 May 10, 1866 1 year, 5 days Republican 1865
10 Cristobal Aguilar
(1816–1886)
1st time		 May 10, 1866 May 8, 1867[g] 363 days Democratic 1866
(7) Damien Marchesseault
(1818–1868)
3rd time		 May 8, 1867 August 8, 1867[g] 92 days Democratic 1867
(10) Cristobal Aguilar
(1816–1886)
2nd time		 August 8, 1867 December 7, 1868 1 year, 121 days Democratic –
11 Joel Turner
(1820?–1888)		 December 9, 1868 December 9, 1870 2 years, 0 days Democratic 1868
1869
(10) Cristobal Aguilar
(1816–1886)
3rd time		 December 9, 1870 December 5, 1872 1 year, 362 days Democratic 1870
1871
12 James R. Toberman
(1836–1911)
1st time		 December 5, 1872 December 18, 1874 2 years, 13 days Democratic 1872
1873
13 Prudent Beaudry
(1819–1893)		 December 18, 1874 December 8, 1876 1 year, 356 days Democratic 1874
1875
14 Frederick A. MacDougall
(1818–1878)		 December 8, 1876 November 16, 1878[e] 1 year, 343 days Democratic 1876
1877
– Bernard Cohn
(1835–1889)
Acting, then appointed		 November 16, 1878[h] November 21, 1878 5 days Democratic City Council
President
acting as
mayor
15 November 21, 1878 December 5, 1878 14 days App.
(12) James R. Toberman
(1836–1911)
2nd time		 December 5, 1878 December 9, 1882 4 years, 4 days Democratic 1878
1879
1880
1881
16 Cameron E. Thom
(1825–1915)		 December 9, 1882 December 9, 1884 2 years, 0 days Democratic 1882
1883
17 Edward Falles Spence
(1832–1892)		 December 9, 1884 December 14, 1886 2 years, 5 days Republican 1884
1885
18 William H. Workman
(1839–1918)		 December 14, 1886 December 10, 1888 1 year, 362 days Democratic 1886
1887
19 John Bryson
(1852–1915)		 December 10, 1888 February 25, 1889[i] 77 days Democratic 1888
20 Henry T. Hazard
(1844–1921)		 February 25, 1889 December 5, 1892 3 years, 291 days Republican 1889
1890
– William Hartshorn Bonsall
(1846–1905)
Acting		 December 5, 1892[j] December 12, 1892 7 days Republican City Council
President
acting as
mayor
21 Thomas E. Rowan
(1842–1901)		 December 12, 1892 December 12, 1894 2 years, 0 days Democratic 1892
22 Frank Rader
(1848–1897)		 December 12, 1894 December 16, 1896 2 years, 4 days Republican 1894
23 Meredith P. Snyder
(1859–1937)
1st time		 December 16, 1896 December 15, 1898 1 year, 364 days Democratic 1896
24 Frederick Eaton
(1856–1934)		 December 15, 1898 December 12, 1900 1 year, 362 days Republican 1898
(23) Meredith P. Snyder
(1859–1937)
2nd time		 December 12, 1900 December 8, 1904 3 years, 362 days Democratic 1900
1902
25 Owen McAleer
(1858–1944)		 December 8, 1904 December 13, 1906 2 years, 5 days Republican 1904
26 Arthur Cyprian Harper
(1866–1948)		 December 13, 1906 March 11, 1909[k] 2 years, 88 days Democratic 1906
– Niles Pease
(1838–1921)
Acting		 March 11, 1909 March 15, 1909 4 days Republican City Council
President
acting as
mayor
27 William Stephens
(1859–1944)		 March 15, 1909[k] March 26, 1909 11 days Republican App.
28 George Alexander
(1839–1923)		 March 26, 1909 July 1, 1913 4 years, 97 days Republican Mar. 1909
Nov. 1909
1911
29 Henry H. Rose
(1856–1923)		 July 1, 1913 July 1, 1915 2 years, 0 days Independent 1913
30 Charles E. Sebastian
(1873–1929)		 July 1, 1915 September 2, 1916[l] 1 year, 63 days Democratic 1915
– Martin F. Betkouski
(1860–1942)
Acting		 September 2, 1916 September 5, 1916 3 days Democratic City Council
President
acting as
mayor
31 Frederic T. Woodman
(1871–1949)		 September 5, 1916 July 1, 1919 2 years, 299 days Republican App.
1917
(23) Meredith P. Snyder
(1859–1937)
3rd time		 July 1, 1919 July 1, 1921 2 years, 0 days Democratic 1919
32 George E. Cryer
(1875–1961)		 July 1, 1921 July 1, 1929 8 years, 0 days Republican 1921
1923
1925
33 John Clinton Porter
(1871–1959)		 July 1, 1929 July 1, 1933 4 years, 0 days Democratic 1929
34 Frank L. Shaw
(1877–1958)		 July 1, 1933 September 26, 1938[m] 5 years, 87 days Republican 1933
1937
35 Fletcher Bowron
(1887–1968)		 September 26, 1938 July 1, 1953 14 years, 278 days Republican 1938 recall[m]
1941
1945
1949
36 Norris Poulson
(1895–1982)		 July 1, 1953 July 1, 1961 8 years, 0 days Republican 1953
1957
37 Sam Yorty
(1909–1998)		 July 1, 1961 July 1, 1973 12 years, 0 days Democratic 1961
1965
1969
38 Tom Bradley
(1917–1998)		 July 1, 1973 July 1, 1993 20 years, 0 days Democratic 1973
1977
1981
1985
1989
39 Richard Riordan
(1930–2023)		 July 1, 1993 July 1, 2001 8 years, 0 days Republican 1993
1997
40 James Hahn
(born 1950)		 July 1, 2001 July 1, 2005 4 years, 0 days Democratic 2001
41 Antonio Villaraigosa
(born 1953)		 July 1, 2005 July 1, 2013 8 years, 0 days Democratic 2005
2009
42 Eric Garcetti
(born 1971)		 July 1, 2013 December 12, 2022[n] 9 years, 163 days Democratic 2013
2017
43 Karen Bass
(born 1953)		 December 12, 2022 Incumbent 3 years, 180 days Democratic 2022
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  1. [a]
    The City of Los Angeles counts one mayoralty for those who served multiple non-consecutive terms.
  2. [b]
    In 1909, Los Angeles adopted a nonpartisan form of government, with the office and mayoral elections being officially nonpartisan since then.[15]
  3. [c]
    Foster resigned as Mayor to help lead a lynch mob against David Brown, a man who had killed one of Foster's friends and was given a stay of execution by the California Supreme Court.[16] Manuel Requena, the President of the City Council, was the acting mayor in his absence.[17] Foster was then re-elected via a special election.[18]
  4. [d]
    Foster resigned as mayor to attend to the executorship of the estate of his brother-in-law.[19] City Council president Manuel Requena served as acting mayor until a special election could be held.[20]
  5. [e]
    Died in office.
  6. [f]
    Mellus died in office on December 26, 1860. City Council president Wallace Woodworth served as acting mayor until a special election could be held.[21]
  7. [g]
    Aguilar was unseated for three months and replaced with Marchesseault, who as Zanjero of Los Angeles was considered more important than the mayor. Aguilar was reinstated on August 8, 1867.[22]
  8. [h]
    MacDougall died on November 16, 1878. City Council president Bernard Cohn served as acting mayor until he was appointed by the council to become Mayor.[3]
  9. [i]
    Due to a change in the city's election calendar, Bryson's term was cut short due to voters' adoption of a new city charter and Hazard's subsequent election.
  10. [j]
    City Council president William H. Bonsall served as acting mayor for a week during the vacancy between the terms of Hazard and Rowan's terms.
  11. [k]
    Harper resigned as mayor on March 11, 1909 in the wake of a recall election against him.[23] William Stephens, who was named as Harper's opponent in the recall, was appointed as mayor before the next election.[24][25]
  12. [l]
    Sebastian resigned due to proven accusations of "illicit relations with young ladies" and extortion. Sebastian responded to the accusations with a staged attempt on his life, but the scheme was revealed and Sebastian resigned.
  13. [m]
    Shaw was recalled and Bowron elected to replace him in a special election.[26]
  14. [n]
    Due to a change in the city's election calendar to align mayoral elections with statewide elections, Garcetti's second term was longer than the usual four years.[27]

Appendices

Mayoral terms and term limits

At the office's creation in 1850, mayors served one year terms. In 1889, the dates were changed to be on even-numbered years, with the term extending to two years per term; the first election in an even-numbered year was in 1892. In 1909, the city charter changed the election years to odd-numbered years with the March 1909 election, originally slated to be a recall election against Arthur C. Harper. In 1993, voters amended the city charter to implement term limits to elected officials, including mayor.[15] In 2015, voters passed a charter amendment that would change the election dates to align with gubernatorial and presidential elections on even-numbered years; the first mayoral election after this change was in 2022.[28]

More information Year, Term ...
Year Term Term
limit		 Years Mayor(s) affected
1850 1 year Unlimited Unlimited Alpheus P. Hodges to John Bryson
1889 2 years Unlimited Unlimited Henry T. Hazard to William Stephens
1909 4 years Unlimited Unlimited George Alexander to Meredith P. Snyder
1925 4 years 2 terms 8 years George E. Cryer and his successors [citation needed]
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Interrupted terms

Eight mayors have had interrupted terms: Stephen Clark Foster (1855 and 1856), Henry Mellus (1860), Cristobal Aguilar (1867), Frederick A. MacDougall (1878), John Bryson (1889), Arthur C. Harper (1909), Charles E. Sebastian (1916), and Frank L. Shaw (1938).

More information Interrupted terms of Los Angeles's elected mayors, Elected mayor ...
Interrupted terms of Los Angeles's elected mayors
Elected mayor Last elected End of service Interim successor Election Elected successor Reason
Stephen Clark Foster 1854 January 13, 1855 Manuel Requena 1855 Stephen Clark Foster Resigned from office.
Stephen Clark Foster 1856 September 22, 1856 Manuel Requena 1856 John G. Nichols Resigned from office.
Henry Mellus 1860 December 26, 1860 Wallace Woodworth 1861 Damien Marchesseault Died in office.
Cristobal Aguilar 1866 May 8, 1867 None 1867 Damien Marchesseault Unseated from office.
Frederick A. MacDougall 1877 November 16, 1878 Bernard Cohn None Bernard Cohn Died in office.
John Bryson 1888 February 25, 1889 None 1889 Henry T. Hazard Change in election dates.
Arthur C. Harper 1906 March 11, 1909 John D. Works
William Stephens		 1909 George Alexander Resigned from office.
Charles E. Sebastian 1915 September 2, 1916 Martin F. Betkouski 1917 Frederic T. Woodman Resigned from office.
Frank L. Shaw 1917 September 26, 1938 None 1938 Fletcher Bowron Recalled from office.
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See also

References

External links

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